Twelve Weeks of You

Week Eight

Week Eight

Aarav looked at the clock wondering where were the girls? The apartment felt too empty and his thoughts were filling the space between the three. Karna and Rooman looked too comfortable in the silence but Aarav could feel his head explode. He took out some of his stuff and tried to roll it. One lousy roll came out which he promptly put in his mouth.

Just then the doorbell rang. Aarav jumped to his feet, as he moved to open the door. He opened the door, smiling wide at the sight. One look at Samira calmed him like waves crashing against the shore and at the same time fired him again. He had one more reason to win the game. She looked so beautiful in her jeans that curved her curvy hips and her t-shirt, somehow making the casual look more dressy. She smiled at him with a smirk as he hugged her. He could smell her strong floral smell mixed with her warmth. "Welcome, Chameli."He whispered in her ears and she pinched his stomach, making him laugh as the cigarette fell from his lips.

He bent down to pick it up before looking for her, but she was already inside. Mridula smiled politely at him, her silver earrings mingling with her open curls. She looked uncomfortable, wrapping her arms around her body like a protective shield, yet she passed him a small smile.

"I have something you are looking for."He spoke, teasing her, watching her eyes shift between the man and him. Her eyes twinkled with comfort, now blushing lightly. "And I have something you are looking for."She answered, pointing to Samira already on the couch and talking to Rooman.

Aarav nodded, "Quite convenient huh?"He remarked as she nodded. Karna stood up as he heard her, a smile playing on his face as she walked to him. The two looked at each other for a few seconds before she sat down on the chair next to him, giving him a look that beckoned him closer. And he followed, sitting next to her, not touching but somehow intimately close.

Aarav wanted to laugh, they were acting like school going kids. He turned to the fridge and fished out beers and some snacks. Rooman picked up the beer as soon as it hit the table. "Easy fucker."Aarav scowled, as he handed Karna and then one to Mridula. She raised her eyebrow before taking it slowly, playing with the can. Aarav sat down next to Samira, his eyes watching the can reaching her lips. He felt jealous of the can, his mind traveling through the party, and the many kisses they had shared since then.

It was strange for him to only kiss a girl and not do anything more and that too for weeks. Rumors were starting to grow about them, that they may be a couple. Aarav wondered, were they? But strangely Samira never asked him that. And that made him more confused.

"So are we finally going to hear you play Karna Bhaiya?" Samira asked as Karna laughed. He looked at ease as he took a big sip before picking up the guitar on his lap, his fingers playing a song.

Aarav couldn't stop his leg from fidgeting, it was like all his nervous energy was shifting into his foot, he had never felt so nervous about a game. And he knew he was being petty, winning this game won't prove anything. It won't undo the damage of his heart, the laughter he had nightmares about or bring the old him back. He knew Abhishiri's words were getting to him, a simple text and he was spiralling already.

It won't prove that he was the better man between him and Naman, that the girl who broke his heart was wrong or that his heart would naturally heal and start loving like a normal human being again, but if anyone even dared to say it, he would bite like a starving lion.

He looked at Rooman's pale face, his body loosely lying on the couch like a dead autumn leaf that has already forgotten what it is to be alive. He was here but Aarav knew he wasn't, his face distant.

Whatever happened with him and Rumi had taken a toll on him in the past two weeks and Aarav knew it was selfish to think like this, but he couldn't afford to lose Rooman now. He took out his mobile and called Rumi but as usual, she didn't pick up his call. He looked at Karna, casually playing with his strings and in between with Mridula's hair.

The sight of him so calm irked Aarav.

As the beer kicked inside of him, Aarav felt himself grow uncomfortable. He had questions in his mind, and his beer wanted answers.

"Why don't you play the game too Karna?" He finally shot his arrow. Karna didn't look up from the fingers but his face became stiff. "You don't need me Aarav, you have your team. You have Rooman." He answered, his voice bordering on the edgy. "Karna Bhaiya plays too?" Samira asked confused, as she looked between the two men. "In my one year, I have never seen you on the court."She added as Karna continued playing the song.

"Oh, he doesn't just plays, in fact he is a state level player. He doesn't play anymore because of one stupid whim."Aarav remarked and took his last sip. The song stopped and as he kept his can down, he could feel Karna's glare on him. "Drop it Aarav," Rooman spoke for the first time in a long while now.

Aarav felt his anger boil up. "You can't do this for me when I do so much for you?" He spat out, and everyone stiffened. The air grew morbid, the last of music fading away. Karna looked the most shocked before his face grew blank. He felt the bitter taste of beer trying to cool down his rage when he got up. He simply left, no words uttered, like a word ending a sentence.

"Have you reached your level of bullshit or is some still left?" Rooman asked disappointedly, shaking his head and going after Karna as Aarav cursed loudly. Samira watched him walk to his room and she knew how he hated to be alone so she carefully followed him.

"Why are you so worked up about this game?"She asked him, crossing her arms around her chest. She knew it was unlike him, he never bounced off walls like this. Instead he was the one who would help people around him relax.

But right now he looked too angry and judging by way Karna's face has twisted, Samira could sense he had hit a nerve too deep. She looked at him as he paced around the room, taking big puffs from his joint. She stepped ahead, ready to tackle the storm head on. "Just take a deep breath."She whispered to him, as he stopped and now came closer to her.

His face was showing emotions she had never seen on him but her heart stopped, for the first time he looked human. He cupped her cheek before slowly pulling her forward, as she leaned ahead and kissed him, tasting his frustration with him.

She didn't know what she was doing but it was working. He relaxed, and then twisted her to the side. Before she could know it, she was in between a wall and him, his hands already exploring more. "Aarav" Her voice was stern, as she felt him stop. If she had managed to get him calm, he was irked up once again. He pulled back and walked to his balcony leaving her there.

Samira sighed before looking at him. She knew she couldn't help him right now, he was more than what she knew about him. And he wasn't willing to tell her about that yet.

"I'll see you tomorrow" She said, still looking at him as he barely nodded. For a man who didn't like being alone, he certainly knew how to push everyone out.

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Mridula: Karna, are you okay?

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Mridula: Where are you? It has been three days! I am worried.

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Aarav: Where is Karna?

Mridula: I was about to ask you the same question.